What happened on Wednesday, October 20, 1971
In New Delhi, a joint statement issued after talks between Yugoslav President Marshal Tito and Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi called for a political settlement aimed at ending Pakistan’s current crisis, by working with elected representatives.
An explosion rocked the 6th floor of the State Bank Head Office of Pakistan (now Bangladesh Bank) building in Motijheel. Guerrillas Nazmul Kabir, Sadek Ahmed Khan, Aman and Abul Khair Jasimuddin (actor Jasim) had smuggled in five pounds of explosives with fuses inside the building in the briefcase of a State Bank official. The officer then took it to the bank’s 6th-floor toilet inside and set it on fire with the explosive fuse in the briefcase. A few seconds later the explosion occurred. Although the building was severely damaged, no one was injured in the operation.
On this day, four Mukti Bahini guerrilla forces fought fierce battles with the Pak army at Narchi and the adjoining village of Ganakpara in Bogra. The battle lasted from 8 am to 8 am the next day. Tofazzal Hossain Maqbool (Charharin), Syed Fazlul Ahsan Dipu, Shokrana (Rana), Abdus Salam (Bulbul), Rezaul Baki, Golam Mostafa (Gabtali), Kamal Pasha (Brindabanpara), Rizaul Haque Manju, Swapan and Rezaul Karim Montu, Akhtar Hossain Bulu, Atowar Hossain Gama, Abdur Razzak Hanju, Abdul Bari and more guerrillas exchanged heavy gunfire with the Pak army. At one stage the Pak army surrounded the Dipu party. The guerrillas took up a position at the Ganakpara eidgah ground and started firing everything they had. The Pak army conducted their fierce attacks with modern weapons. The guerrillas could not withstand this attack and were forced to change positions. At this point, the Pak invaders set fire to many houses in the area. Meanwhile, Shokrana Rana and his team, and other guerrilla groups of around 50/60 fighters total marched towards Tiurpara village to take up a position. The guerrillas continued to engage with the invading forces. During this battle, the invading forces killed 12 innocent villagers of Tiurpara village. 9 people, including a Pak army captain, were killed by guerrilla gunfire. The guerrillas engaged the Pak army throughout the night at Banshgari and Narchi, and around dawn the next day, the Pak army finally dispersed and retreated.
A group of freedom fighters with mortars breached the Pak army position at Chitolia in Comilla at 6 pm and attacked. 12 Pak soldiers were killed and 7 others were injured.
At 4 pm on 20 October, a strong contingent of Pak army soldiers marched from their Harisardar market base to the nearby freedom fighters’ position. The army group fired artillery at the guerrilla base for about two hours. The freedom fighters repulsed the Pak army with 3” mortars and light machine guns. When many Pak soldiers were killed by the counter-attack of the freedom fighters, the Pak army was dispersed and forced to retreat.
Led by Major Shafayet Jamil, ‘A’ Company Commander Capt. Mohammad Anwar Hossain and his Second-in-Command Lt. Manzoor Ahmed, and ‘D’ Company Commander Lt. Nurnabi and his Second-in-Command Ali Newaz, arrived at Gowainghat. Shafayet Jamil assigned his team to attack the police station, circle office (local administrative office), agriculture office and some other important bases. While they were crossing the river at Gowainghat, the local collaborators informed the Pak army about the guerrillas’ movements. Subsequently, the Pak army attacked the guerrillas and a three-day battle with the Pak army began. Many Pak soldiers were killed in this battle and 5 freedom fighters were killed and 8 wounded.
The guerrillas fired 3″ mortar shells and destroyed two enemy bunkers in Sylhet. The enemy responded by firing 23 rounds with 2″ and 3″ mortars. The guerrillas returned to their base safely. No enemy casualties were reported.
In Comilla, a strong Pak army contingent used artillery to launch a fierce attack on the Mukti Bahini position near Kamalpur. In this attack, the Pak army failed to break through the strong defenses of the freedom fighters. 30 Pak soldiers, including an officer of the Pak army, were killed in the clash.
Freedom fighters attacked the Pak base at Miyanbazar in Comilla around 4 am. The Pak army was not prepared for this sudden attack. As a result of the two-hour battle, about 21 Pak soldiers were killed. Later, the dead and wounded Pak soldiers were seen being taken to Comilla in a vehicle. On the way back to their, base, the guerrilla group set up a booby trap using mines, on the road behind them. A strong contingent of the Pak army fell victim to the booby, and the mine blast killed 16 Pak soldiers and injured 5 others.
In Sector 6, there was a massive clash between the Mukti Bahini and the Pakistani army at the Healy border. The clashes continued throughout the day.
In the village of Tiurpara in Bogra district, there was a fierce exchange of fire between the Mukti Bahini guerrillas and the Pak army. Nine soldiers, including a Pak army captain, were killed and many others were injured.
UN Secretary-General U’ Thant met separately at his headquarters with Indian Ambassador Samar Sen and with Pakistani Ambassador Agashahi. The Bangladesh question was discussed at the meeting.
In the by-elections for the 78 vacant seats in the National Assembly of East Pakistan, 192 candidates filed nomination papers.
Food and Agriculture Minister Nawazesh Ahmed visited Kushtia. At a meeting in Kushtia, the minister urged the people to stand up against the enemy and their alien, foreign culture by taking inspiration from the ideology of Pakistan.
Provincial Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Jasimuddin said at a meeting in Sylhet, “India has killed countless innocent Pakistanis by using their Awami collaborators. But now their true face has been unmasked to everyone in the home and abroad.”
Translated by Mohammad Towhidul Islam
Editorial contribution by Arghya Raihan
Researched, compiled & Edited by Sagar Lohani
Bangalianaa/SL
পড়ুন
ইতিহাসের নৃশংসতম গণহত্যা
দ্বিতীয় মহাকাব্য: প্রধানমন্ত্রী তাজউদ্দীন আহমদের প্রথম বেতার ভাষণ
পড়ুন এখানে
Other days of Roaring 1971:
অগ্নিঝরা একাত্তরের দিনগুলো, বাংলায় পড়ুন:
| মার্চ ১৯৭১ | এপ্রিল ১৯৭১ | মে ১৯৭১ | জুন ১৯৭১ | জুলাই ১৯৭১ |
| আগস্ট ১৯৭১ | সেপ্টেম্বর ১৯৭১ | অক্টোবর ১৯৭১ | নভেম্বর ১৯৭১ | ডিসেম্বর ১৯৭১ |
